Human vision is a multi-step process. Light enters the eye, passes through the lens, and is directed to an area on the retina known as the fovea macula (“fovea”), which is densely populated with light sensitive cells. These cells then create an image, which is passed along the optic nerve to the brain. The brain then combines two separate images—one from each eye—to form a single picture for interpretation by the person. This is technically labeled as “single binocular vision”, commonly referred to as “binocular vision”.
The ability to take two images from separate eyes and combine them into a single picture is a process known as “fusion” and produces binocular vision (as distinguished from monocular vision), which gives humans excellent depth perception, as each image comes from a slightly different angle. The human brain is “hardwired” for fusion, a phenomenon known as “compulsion to fusion.” When fusion is unsuccessful, a person can have “double vision,” which is obviously a suboptimal condition. Detailed information about binocular vision can be found in the book authored by Kenneth Ogle, Researchers in binocular vision, Hafner Publishing Company, New York (1950), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.
The most significant ocular bane of aging is macular degeneration. In contrast, cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinal problems are more amenable to successful treatment and management.
The very high density of cones in the foveola, and surrounding foveal areas, appears not to present a uniform geographic distribution. From non-human dissection of retinal tissue, there appears to be some variability with greater density favoring of the cones in the foveola in:
1) the horizontal meridian;
2) toward the nasal retina; and
3) slightly toward the superior retina.
Whereas, it is commonly thought that form follows function, it also suggests, reciprocally, that function is modified by form. Therefore, cone function efficacy is influenced by the variability of fovea, and its surrounding tissue characteristics, such as:                a. 300 μm rod-free foveolar central area;        b. one-to-one relationship to bipolar/ganglion cells;        c. bipolar/ganglion cell connections displaced outward from the center;        d. cone diameters: 3.3 μm at center; 10 μm at outer regions;        e. cone lengths: 85 μm at center; 40 μm at periphery;        f. cone density:                    overall @ center=150,000 mm2;            nasal/superior directions=200,000 mm2;                        g. rod appearance commences @ 130 μm; and        h. projected into space:                    foveolar diameter=1.2 degrees;            fovea diameter=6.2 degrees; and            six degree eccentricity to line of sight: acuity loss of 75%.                        
Many vision problems result when light cannot be directed to a fully functional section of the fovea. This can occur for any number of reasons, including macular degeneration and cataracts. Macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness and near blindness in older individuals. While many treatments have been proposed for patients suffering from macular degeneration, including administration of different pharmaceutical compounds, a simple, non-invasive treatment without side effects would be very useful.